Business Retreats Australia

The inception of Business Retreats Australia in 1992 saw the birth of Australia’s first ever conference venue booking agency. We continue our tradition as Australia’s premier venue booking agency, with a well-recognised brand that specialises in bookings for the residential conference market.
Business Retreats Australia is an independent booking agent. We are not owned by a venue and are not a venue-member organisation, which means our experienced consultants work with solely the clients' interests in mind - matching the perfect venue to our clients' conference needs is top priority.

What we believe

Our ethos at Business Retreats Australia is based on fulfilling your needs and simplifying the venue finding process for you. Our team is dynamic and driven - everyone at Business Retreats Australia possesses a genuine enthusiasm for the conference and incentives industry, and a deep commitment to our clients. We pride ourselves on the professional and personalised service that we offer, and on repeat business from loyal and satisfied clients.

Business Retreats Australia works hard to serve the needs of our clients first and foremost. We believe in a cheerful and professional approach to business, in building lasting and authentic relationships with our clients and in encouraging mutual open communication in all our business dealings.
We also play hard! All BRA team members pursue happy, healthy and active lifestyles, which we believe only adds to our enthusiastic approach to our careers.

Meet the team:

Katarina arrived in Australia under refugee status from Bosnia in 1994 and in 1998 completed a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism at RMIT University. She then commenced her career in the exhibition industry in a sales and organisational capacity for Expo Hire, Australia's major exhibition building company.

In 1999, Katarina took up a managerial position with the Tourism Council of Australia and was in charge of organising the 2000 Victorian Tourism Awards. In 2001, a position with DeakinPrime (incorporating Business Retreats Australia) was considered too good to refuse. A series of rapid changes provided Katarina and her husband Rod the opportunity to purchase Business Retreats Australia the following year. The company has been running under their successful management since July 2002.

During the last seven years, Katarina has gained broad experience in the tourism industry and is a specialist in all things conferencing. The general consensus at the BRA office is that she is the Venue Queen, and possesses a special knack for matching client's conferencing needs with the extensive database of Australian conference venues and services.

He who holds the purse strings… Rod brings a background of Human Resources, Sales and Financial Services to the Business Retreats Australia mix. He holds a double degree in Business Management and Psychology from Monash University and is a Certified Financial Planner and a member of the Financial Planning Association.

As a Director of Business Retreats Australia, Rod oversees the financial management of the company and acts as a sounding board for Marketing and Operational initiatives.

Emilie’s interest in events began around five years of age when she would organise anything from party games to concert rehearsals for her family. Her experience in the hospitality industry began with working in cafes, restaurants and large outdoor events during high school.

While completing a Diploma of Event Management at William Angliss Institute in 2007, Emilie was working at the RACV City Club. For two and a half years she has had the opportunity to work in many areas and several roles at the Club, most recently as a Conference and Events Supervisor.

When Emilie is not working she loves to travel and be active outdoors no matter what the weather brings. An eclectic taste in music and a passion for great food takes Emilie and her friends to many different locations around Melbourne. With a keen interest in Australian tourism and events, Emilie hopes to sharpen her skills and become specialised in the field.